I received an arc of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Although it pained me to write, I did not like this book. Far too many characters flitted in and out, and we never got enough of their backstories to make them feel important to the story. It also felt too long in several spots and poorly written by a teen.

This has everything you love about Elin Hilderbrand, but instead of Nantucket, it's set at a boarding school - the perfect locale for all the drama, scandal, and intrigue that keep the plot moving at a brisk pace. The book features a rich cast of characters, comprised of both students and faculty/administrators, who play off of one another's best and worst impulses, creating a swirling storm of deliciously intertwined storylines. I loved the students' voices, and it was refreshing to read their points of view and their take on Tiffin Academy and the escapades of both the student body and those there to lead it. As reliably fun and compelling as all of Hilderbrand's books - she and Shelby make a great team!

I read this book because of the author and loved that she wrote it with her daughter. The novel itself was just okay. Some interesting points but overall it wasn't a rave.

Elin and her daughter, Shelby make a great writing team! This book is super cute, fun and an easy lighthearted read.

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

Hilderbrand co wrote this novel with her daughter and it’s a fun read about the faculty and student tea at an elite east coast boarding school. Excited that it will be a series.

I don't think there's ever been an Elin Hildebrand book that I did not like. This book was not in a different it was suspenseful with mystery and cover different important topics for teenagers and young adults. This really felt like an elin Hildebrand book even though I know her daughter Shelby is listed as co-author I was unable to tell where Elin left off and Shelby began. It was a great book one night I really had trouble putting down I think if they're going to continue writing books together they will make great partners and I look forward to the next book

I love the cover of this book and think it matches the story perfectly. I love that the author is branching out.
For me, this story was hard to get through. The story lines seemed to blend in with one another. Even though it was high school, 80% of the book had me feeling college vibes. I constantly questioned what the purpose was for this story other than a year in the life of...
This novel isn't for me personally. I'll recommend to anyone who loves Hilderbrand, though. I'm sorry this isn't a better review. I enjoy Hilderbrand's writings and will continue to seek her new releases out.
Thank you for offering an eARC for my opinion. I'm thankful for the opportunity and wish the author the best!

Elin Hildebrand has returned to writing with her young daughter, and what a contemporary and fun read it is! It was not too layered but an interesting look into boarding school life and the students that attend The Academy.

I love Elin Hildebrand and was so intrigued to read a book co authored by her daughter. I devoured this book. It had all the delish details expected of an Elin Hildebrand book, while giving you the feeling of being a student at Tiffin. There were some loose ends, but if there is a second book those could easily be tied up.

3.5 stars

The book covers a very unusual year in the world of Tiffin Academy, a boarding school in New England, which has just been named the number two boarding school in the U.S., a huge jump from the year before, thanks largely to the deep pockets of the parents of one of its students, Unless it’s a terrible mistake. Because the sports teams mostly lose and the dorms could use renovating, plus it is largely known for being a “social” versus an intellectual school. Anyway, the students, faculty and staff and reveling in the achievement.

However, things are starting to get a little crazy with a new app, ZigZag posting blind items about the school and its students and staff. How will this affect queen bee and influencer Davi Banerjee, Charley Hicks, a transfer student, Simone Bergeron, the new, young history teacher, Cordelia Spooner, director of admissions, Andrew Eastman, the son of the school’s benefactor, Dub Austin, the star quarterback and other students and staff?

Hilderbrand is a very popular author so I can’t imagine this won’t do well. Her daughter, who is billed as a co-writer just graduated from boarding school and you can definitely see her influence on the book with references to music, brands, etc; I’m not familiar enough with Hilderbrand’s writing style to know whether she actually contributed to the writing, but I’m sure she was more on background here. It was very gossipy and a little exhausting…I don’t think I would have the strength anymore to be part of so much drama. I enjoyed it, though.

Gossip girl meets Gilmore girls meets a splash of Magnolia parks? This was so fun. I couldn’t take my eyes away from it. I really appreciate how Shelby Cunningham was able to accurately depict teenagers rather in a way that felt so much more authentic than someone who just googled “what are teens into”

So good! I loved the premise of this. Elin Hilderbrand knows how to bring the drama in such a delicate way. I also loved the location of a boarding school—I don’t know that world, but I know the private school arena and so many things were accurate to my own experiences. I imagine this is going to be on the top of everyone’s reading lists this fall

While The Academy, by Elin Hilderbrand, and her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, is not what I expected, it grabbed my attention right away.  The storyline was fun and kept my attention. A lot was going on, some of which made my teacher heart cringe, but things happen in real life... The cafeteria food sounds amazing, and the friendships are realistic, but that ending left me hanging.  I hope this means we can look forward to a sequel.  After all, they do have another year... Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I love Elin’s books and really wanted to love this one as she pivoted into new genre. However, the first half of this book is just way too slow with way too many characters introduced. And by the end of the book, we don’t have closure for most of those characters. There were some major loose ends left behind. I did like the second half better, but I am just too many characters to track.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This is so hard for me to type because Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors and I do love the opportunity she gave her daughter by co-writing this with her, but this was bad. I struggled to get through it, It dragged on and honestly felt like it was written by a teenager. Ugh, I'm sorry Elin.

As a devoted fan of Elin Hilderbrand, I was delighted to be able to read a galley of The Academy. Knowing it was cowritten by Elin and her daughter, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Unfortunately, I wasn’t terribly impressed with the book. It read like a YA novel. The use of italicized “vocabulary words” followed by their definitions was very annoying. Some of the many characters were not fully developed and some were very cliched. I hope their next book venture together improves.

The book was about a school year at a boarding school, it focused on the lives of both the students and the teachers. Cute book, it left a few loose ends but I would recommend as an easy, fun read.

Even with a different setting and new characters, this is classic Elin Hildebrand writing style. I could see this as a series with the same school staff and a rotating cast of students, especially since this class was juniors. It still felt like Elin''s writing- multiple points of view with a third person narrator. I enjoyed this and look forward to more from the mother/daughter duo.

***INCLUDES SPOILERS***

I was suspicious when I heard Elin Hilderbrand say that she was writing a novel with her daughter about dark academia. I have certain expectations from an Elin Hilderbrand book,and I did not think that dark academia would work with the pacing and character development that she does so well. Not sure how much of this her daughter wrote, but this is pure EH outside of Nantucket.
I really wanted to like this book. There were some elements that kept me reading. I basically spent a Saturday morning in bed and read the entire thing. But there wasn't any payoff for me. I loved the way that the head of school was named Audre and that her blackness was a part of who she was as a character and not as a trope. Each of the students were interesting, but I didn't realize that we were being set up for a series until the end of the book. It left me wanting, even for a series. Key plot points were not addressed. What's Dub's secret? (I think he's in love with Hakeem). What is in the email that Cinnamon left? Do East and Charley get back together?
There were some characters that could have either been left off or written differently. Simone as a predator and then victim was unnecessary. And what was Rhode's point? And did he really spend $2,400 on that date???? What was the point of Haz's gambling problem. Honey and Cordelia could have been written better and Honey did not need to be labeled as a predator . Simone was a mess and did not provide what I think she was there to provide.
I'll recommend this book, but p[ease let us know when the next book is coming. And please let some of these mysteries be solved.

Normally a HUGE fan of Hilderbrand, but this one fell flat for me. It read like a YA book (which is fine, just not my genre preference and not Hildebrands normal audience)
One of my main issues with the book were there are far too many characters introduced who were not all fully developed. To start the book with a student who took her life and give no background or reason for including this subject matter was odd. AND we never get the info on her document she leaves her boyfriend- Why was that even mentioned? Multiple characters are dealing with serious mental health struggles like eating disorders but again, to leave those serious topics so unattended to felt very blasé for 2025. I wasn't able to connect with or sympathize for anyone due to the lack of character development which was likely due to the sheer amount of character we are following. It feels unfinished, the premise is decent but the execution is lacking.

I appreciate the ARC and will purchase a copy for our library when released.